Women and Climate Change

Women Leadership in Building Climate and Cultural Resilience

National Climate Change Consciousness Week
Proposed Forum 16 November 2016
Proposed Summit 24 November 2016

Concept Note

I. Background and Rationale

It is projected that “continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further

warming and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system,
increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people
and ecosystems (IPCC AR5 Summary for Policy Makers, 2014, 8). This changing
climate will amplify existing risks and create new ones. These risks “are unevenly
distributed and are generally greater for disadvantaged people and communities
(IPCC AR5 Summary for Policy Makers, 2014, 13).”

Women, along with children and other people in vulnerable situations, have
been disproportionately affected by these climate change risks (Sendai Framework
2015-2030, Preamble par. 4). This nexus between gender vulnerability and climate
change vulnerability should translate into increased participation from women in
planning, implementing and monitoring climate change policies and actions, to
ensure that these are gender equitable, and are responsive and appropriate to
women’s needs and experiences.

This has been repeatedly recognized in international documents and

agreements. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction emphasizes the
role of women as valuable stakeholders for reducing disaster risk (par. 36 a. (i)).
Priority 4 on enhancing disaster preparedness in particular encourages the
empowerment of women to promote gender equitable response, recovery,
rehabilitation and reconstruction (Priority 4, par. 32). Parties to the Paris Agreement
also acknowledge that climate change actions should consider human rights
obligations as well as gender equality and the empowerment of women (Preamble,
par. 11), and that adaptation actions (Art. 7 par. 5) and capacity building processes
(Art. 11 par. 2) in particular should be gender-responsive.

This is likewise reflected in the ultimate goal of the National Climate Change
Action Plan (NCCAP) which is to “build the adaptive capacities of women and men
in their communities, increase the resilience of vulnerable sectors and natural
ecosystems to climate change and optimize mitigation opportunities towards
gender-responsive and rights-based social development (NCCAP, 2011: 15).” To
this end, gender mainstreaming is identified as a crosscutting issue that should be
particularly highlighted in the areas of research and development, planning and
policy-making, knowledge and capacity building and enhanced participation
(NCCAP, 2011: 38).
 The NCCAP specifies the need for a gender perspective in several strategic
actions and activities, including:

 Development of gender-responsive policies, plans and budgets on climate

change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture and fisheries (NCCAP, 2011:
10)
 Development of a gender-responsive Research and Development agenda
for water resource management (NCCAP, 2011: 13)
 The conduct of gendered vulnerability and risk assessments and
mainstreaming gender in CCA-DRRM plans at the local level (NCCAP,
2011: 15, 19, 22)
 Designing of gender fair financing mechanisms and adaptation assistance
for CORE (NCCAP, 2011: 15)
 Development of gendered knowledge products on various climate change
issues (NCCAP, 2011: 14, 19, 22)

However, there has not yet been a thorough and participatory assessment of
how effectively NCCAP implementation has responded to women’s particular needs
and concerns, and how it has built women’s resilience to climate change impacts.
Other plans, such as Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAP) and the Gender
and Development (GAD) Plans of national agencies and local governments have
also yet to be surveyed in the light of the new international frameworks and
standards from the Sendai Framework, Paris Agreement and Sustainable
Development Goals. Additional feedback is also needed from women from various
sectors on the appropriateness of national and local climate change strategies to
their particular socio-economic and environmental contexts.

II. Objective/s

Convene a multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder gathering of women

a. Identify entry points for GAD inclusion in the NCCAP

b. Craft a women’s agenda on climate change, to serve as inputs for the
development and/or updating of the NCCAP
c. Increase awareness on the link between gender and climate change,
and the need for gender-responsive actions
d. Improve coordination with other government agencies by identifying
areas for convergence on women and climate change issues

III. Methodology

This is an activity in two parts, to wit: (a) Women and Climate Change Forum
to craft the Women’s Agenda on climate change; and (b) formal presentation of the
Agenda during national Climate Change Consciousness Week, specifically at the
Women and Climate Change Summit.

The CCC will take the lead in the organization and management of the two
events. It will partner with the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) and
academic institutions such as the Center for Women’s Studies of the University of
the Philippines-Diliman and the Women and Gender Institute of Miriam College,
 who may assist with the facilitation of the program and the consolidation of the
Women’s Agenda.

At the Women’s Forum, a workshop will be conducted where the different

women’s sectors will be grouped according to their classification. They will be
asked to identify their issues putting into consideration the seven (7) pillars of the
NCCAP, to wit: food security, water sufficiency, ecological and environmental
stability, human security, sustainable energy, knowledge and capacity
development, climate-smart Industries and Services

Each group will be requested to limit their discussions by selecting the top
three (3) priorities based on the seven (7) pillars of the NCCAP. The discussion
will highlight development issues, come up with possible solutions which are
gender sensitive and finally suggest strategies. Documentation of the discussion
will be presented at the Women’s Summit.

For the panel presentation on the Women’s Agenda at the Women’s Summit
during the Climate Change Consciousness Week, a representative from the
various sectors will again be invited to present the output of the Women’s Forum.
The Women’s Agenda will be formally presented to the CCC and Philippine
Commission on Women (PCW) as input for the development and updating of the
NCCAP as well as the CCC Gender and Development Plan and Women’s
Empowerment, Development and Gender Equality Plan.

IV. Participants

The Women and Climate Change Forum will have a maximum of fifty (50)
participants from the various sectors. Meanwhile, the Summit will have two
hundred fifty (250) attendees. Both these phases will be as inclusive as possible to
get the most comprehensive inputs and feedback. Participants to be invited will
represent the following:

 Rural Women in Agriculture

 Women in Informal Economy and Urban Poor Women
 Women in Business
 Elderly Women and Women with Disabilities
 Women Indigenous Peoples

Representatives from local government units (LGUs) and National

Government Agencies, particularly designated gender and development (GAD)
focal persons, will also be invited.
V. Tentative Programs

WOMEN AND CLIMATE CHANGE (Forum)

November 16, 2016, Sulo Hotel
Tentative Program

Time Activity Speaker

8:00 am – 8:45 am Registration

8:45 am – 9:00 am Prayer and National Anthem
9:00 am – 9:15 am Opening Message Ms. Emeline Verzosa
Executive Director
Philippine Commission On
Women
9:15 am – 10:00 am Climate Change 101 Rosalina De Guzman
Chief, Climate Data Division
10:00 am – 10:30 NCCAP Review TBA
am
10:30 am – 10:45 Presentation of Activity Objectives Donna Sanidad
am Climate Change Commission
10:45 am – 11:00 Overview of the Workshop Facilitor
am
11:00 am – 11:30 PSF Elaine Borejon
am Climate Change Commission
11:30 am – 3:00 pm Breakout Groups
 Women in Agriculture
 Women in Business
 Urban Poor
 Indigenous People
 Women with Disability & Elderly

(Working Lunch)
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Presentation of Group Output TBA
4:00 pm – 4:45 pm Open Forum and Consolidation of
Women’s Agenda
4;45 pm – 5:00 pm Way Forward & Closing Donna Sanidad
Climate Change Commission
 WOMEN AND CLIMATE CHANGE (Summit)
November 24, 2016, Sofitel Hotel
Tentative Program

Time Activity Speaker

8:00 am – 8:45 am Registration

8:45 am – 9:00 am Prayer and National Anthem
9:00 am – 9:15 am Welcome Remarks Comm. Veronica Victorio
Climate Change Commission

9:15 am – 9:45 am Keynote Address Senator Loren Legarda

9:45 am – 10:00 am Background on the Women’s Forum CCC
10:00 am – 10:15 am PSF TBA
10:15 am – 10:30 am Q&A
Presentation of the Women’s Agenda
Representatives of Different Sectors
10:30 am – 10:45 am Women in Agriculture TBA
10:45 am – 11:00 am Women in Business TBA
11:00 am – 11:15 am Urban Poor TBA
11:15 am – 11:30 am Indigenous People TBA
11:30 am – 11:45 am Women with Disability & Elderly TBA
11:45 am - 12:30 nn Open Forum and Discussion
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm – 1:45 pm Introduction to the Movie Sec. Emmanuel De Guzman
1:45 pm – 4:45 pm Movie: Taklub
4:45 pm – 5:00 pm Adjournment

VI. Date, Venue and Budgetary Requirements

The Forum is proposed to be held at Sulu Hotel on 16 November 2016.

While the Summit will be held in Sofitel Hotel on 24 November 2016. The budget
requirement for the two events is estimated at PhP 1.5 Million that will be sourced
from CCC GAD Funds.